Fortunio (opera)

Fortunio is a comédie lyrique or opera in 4 Acts and 5 tableaux by composer André Messager. The French language libretto by Gaston Arman de Caillavet and Robert de Flers is based on Alfred de Musset's comedy Le Chandelier. The opera has no spoken dialogue and comprises completely sung recitative and arias. Fortunio, a clerk of the lawyer Maitre André, becomes the decoy for an affair between Jacqueline and the Captain Clavaroche. Fortunio however, falls for Jacqueline's charms before discovering what is going on between her and the officer.

Fortunio was premiered on 5 June 1907 by the Opéra-Comique at the Salle Favart in Paris. The composer conducted, and Albert Carré was the stage director. It was revived at the Opéra-Comique during its first 50 years for over 70 performances, with the composer conducting the runs in 1915 and 1920, and Villette singing Gertrude up to 1946.

Fortunio's success came just a few months after Messager had left his post as director of the Royal Opera House in London, and late in 1907 he was invited to assume the post of co-music director of the Paris Opera with Leimistin Broussan.

Fortunio was produced at La Monnaie in Brussels in 1908 and 1931. The opera was mounted in Bordeaux in November 1984 and Lyons in May 1987. It had its UK premiere in 2001 at Grange Park Opera. A co-production between Fribourg, Besançon and Opéra de Dijon was seen in 2008. The Opéra-Comique mounted six performances of a new production in December 2009, conducted by Louis Langrée.

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